Unmet Transportation Needs

Transcription

1 Chapter VIII

2 CHAPTER VIII INTRODUCTION This chapter summarizes unmet transportation needs for the tri-county area. These unmet needs have been identified through transportation provider surveys, public meetings, and stakeholder meetings. The information presented in this chapter will help agencies/providers develop proposals to meet the unmet needs identified in the tri-county area. Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille Counties are historically and currently economically depressed and rank 39, 35, and 24 respectively for median household income out of 39 Washington counties. The average commute time in the region as determined by a survey conducted by Rural Resources Community Action in 2006 is 26 minutes. The majority of commuters have commute times of less than 10 minutes. However, the average commute time is influenced by a large percentage of people with commute times of more than 45 minutes. Employment centers have become more centralized as the more traditional regional employers the lumber mills and mines have been cutting back production or closing in the tri-county area. A higher-than-average number of households are retired people who moved to the region due to its more favorable tax structure. Frequently, a consequence of aging is a reduction in income. This creates an expanding population in need of transportation resources. There is also an increasing number of individuals with disabilities often related to aging living in outlying areas, further deepening that need. Stakeholder response tended to take an umbrella view of need, noting that people need access to medical care, social services, government services, employment, education, shopping, legal services, legally required appointments, extracurricular activities for students and parents, intermodal transportation connections, and recreation/social activities. Each category is considered from the aspect of whether or not the need is unmet, in whole or in part, and provides recommended Page VIII-1

3 service alternatives to meet those needs. Recommended service alternatives are not closed-end lists, but represent professional assessment. Transportation providers are encouraged to propose solutions that are not listed, but will meet one or more of the identified unmet transportation needs in the region. While outlying areas of the region have traditionally been seen as unable to support regularly scheduled transportation services, population density in some parts of the outlying areas has been increasing. It is recommended that a survey or other means of monitoring emerging transportation needs in these areas be carried out prior to the next update of this plan. All projects should incorporate marketing, outreach, and coordination elements and shall be locally ranked in the following order: 1. Preserving/restoring existing services 2. Coordination of services 3. New service with limited or no providers and an identified unmet need 4. Expansion of existing services where need is identified Unmet needs are listed by trip purpose category as these are categories identified by stakeholders. INTERMODAL TRANSPORTATION CONNECTIONS This category considers the transfer of clients between the various tri-county transportation services to other intermodal transportation entities such as the Gold Line bus service, the Spokane airport, or Spokane Transit Authority services. In the south end of Stevens and Pend Oreille Counties, many work and school commuters regularly travel into Spokane. People throughout the tri-county area sometimes access specialized medical or professional care in Spokane. Business and pleasure travelers sometimes access Spokane s airport. Visitors to the area sometimes seek transportation options from the Spokane bus terminals or airport to destinations within the tri-county area. For a number of reasons, intermodal transportation is a category of human services transportation that requires careful consideration and coordination with the services to which tri-county residents are transferring. Page VIII-2

4 Current Services Providing Intermodal Connections A Stevens County option is provided by the Gold Line intercity bus service operating twice a day, seven days a week, between Kettle Falls and the Spokane airport with stops at the Spokane Transit Authority (STA) facilities, Greyhound terminal, and Amtrak terminal in Spokane. A Pend Oreille County option is provided by KALTRAN available Monday through Thursday from Ione to Newport and the Walmart on Division in Spokane via the Kalispe l Tribe Wellness Center several times per day A Pend Oreille County north/south transportation option is provided by Rural Resources Community Action from anywhere in Pend Oreille County (including Metaline Falls) to Newport and available every Friday to connect with the SMS-supplied bus from Newport into Spokane. A Pend Oreille County deviated fixed-route bus service operates Monday through Thursday between the Kalispel Tribe Wellness Center and Newport provided by Rural Resources Community Action with connections to KALTRAN and SMS bus services into Spokane from Newport. STA vanpools currently operate in south Pend Oreille and south Stevens Counties, including six vanpools in Suncrest, one in Elk, and one in Diamond Lake. Stevens County dial-a-ride and commuter bus services operated by Rural Resources Community Action provide limited connection potential with the Gold Line intercity bus service. Volunteer drivers throughout the tri-county region provide limited access to Gold Line bus services. SMS Newport-to-Spokane service connects with STA, the Spokane airport, and Greyhound. Unmet Intermodal Connection Needs Access from other transportation systems to the Gold Line intercity bus service. Transportation options for Suncrest and Tumtum residents to access Spokane Transit Authority services. Easier access to transportation services for the client, such as web or services, as well as phone or fax. Expansion of service times and routes for all current services. Marketing of intermodal transportation services. Page VIII-3

5 Coordination with the Spokane Transit Authority to provide shuttle or vanpool services to tri-county area residents commuting into Spokane. Access to Gold Line/Apple Line intercity bus services from Ferry County. Access to STA and airport services for Spokane Indian Reservation and other residents of southwest Stevens County, including Springdale. Transportation Alternatives for Intermodal Transportation Connections Coordination Alternatives Tri-county providers should cooperate to improve communication in planning and delivering transportation services as well as coordinating intermodal services with STA and other external service providers. A marketing plan should be developed among providers to decrease costs and provide a common platform with which customers can become familiar. Service Alternatives Preserve/restore KALTRAN bus service into Spokane. Preserve/restore SMS Newport Shuttle into Spokane. Rural Resources dial-a-ride/commuter services to provide more Gold Line connection opportunities. Transportation services from the Kalispel and Spokane Indian Reservations to Tribal Trust Lands in Airway Heights and Chewelah. Vanpool services to STA park-and-ride locations for tri-county commuters. TRANSPORTATION FOR EMPLOYMENT AND EDUCATION Geography, weather, fuel prices, levels of educational or vocational skills, and the ability to adequately maintain some means of personal transportation are all factors that have a significant effect on the ability of people to commute to work or school. Commutes may be, by necessity, quite long, but the average income in the region is significantly lower than that for the state as a whole, according to census data. Access to employers and higher education may promote the future economic welfare of the region. Page VIII-4

6 Current Services Providing Access to Employment and Education In Stevens County, Rural Resources Community Action provides a fixed-route commuter bus service between Kettle Falls and Chewelah via Colville on US 395, operating Monday through Thursday from 7:00 to 8:45 a.m. and 3:50 to 5:33 p.m. A Pend Oreille County option is provided by KALTRAN available Monday through Thursday from Ione to Newport and the Walmart on Division in Spokane via the Kalispel Indian Reservation Wellness Center several times per day. Dial-a-ride services are provided by Rural Resources, offering limited service hours in all three counties. The Gold Line intercity bus service provides limited access to education and employment opportunities. STA vanpools currently operate in south Pend Oreille and south Stevens Counties, including six vanpools in Suncrest, one in Elk, and one in Diamond Lake. Career Path Services works with people with disabilities and provides and coordinates transportation for their clients with local providers for employment purposes. The Moccasin Express, provided by the Spokane Tribe, serves the main routes within the Spokane Indian Reservation and is in the process of developing an employee and student vanpool program that will provide access off reservation for employment and education purposes. RideshareOnline.com, whose website is located at is a service operated by the State of Washington that provides carpool matching and vanpool matching services. A commuter van shuttle service is operated by Seattle City Light between the dam and Ione. SMS Newport-to-Spokane service connects with STA, the Spokane airport, and Greyhound. A Colville Confederated Tribe contracted service with Okanagan County Transportation and Nutrition for twice daily service between Omak, Nespelem, and Coulee Dam. Unmet Needs in Accessing Employment and Education Coordination between employers, transportation providers, social services, government services, and tribes to develop, implement, and maintain a combined effort to provide employers in the tri-county area with an adequate work Page VIII-5

7 force, and workers with a reliable, inexpensive (or affordable) means of getting to work. Expansion of service times and routes for all current services. Coordination between tri-county providers and the Spokane Transit Authority for public transportation projects. Easier access to transportation services for the client, such as web or services, as well as phone or fax. Coordination of efforts to support private for-profit transportation options in support of the commuting needs of workers, employers, and students. Coordination of providers with the community colleges and educational facilities generally available in Spokane to develop a system for college/trade school commuters that would allow more ready access to these opportunities. Daily transportation options linking Metaline Falls, Metaline, Ione, and Republic to Colville for commuters and community college students. Daily transportation options for residents of southern Stevens County to access STA services and employment centers in Airway Heights and Spokane. Scheduled transportation options for the eastern part of the Colville Indian Reservation to Republic/Nespelem and Kettle Falls/Colville. Daily transportation from the Kalispel and Spokane Indian Reservations to Tribal Trust Lands in Airway Heights and Chewelah. Recommended Transportation Alternatives for Education and Employment Coordination Alternatives Tri-county providers should cooperate to improve communication in planning and delivering transportation services as well as coordinating services with employers and education providers. Develop a marketing plan between providers to decrease costs and provide a common platform with which customers can become familiar. Service Alternatives Maintain commuter routes between Kettle Falls, Colville, and Chewelah. Expand commuter routes to increase number of daily trips (current service only offers two round-trips per day) and frequency. Page VIII-6

8 Maintain Pend Oreille County bus services, operated by KALTRAN, between Ione and Spokane. Promote employer-sponsored commute alternatives, such as the van service operated by Seattle City Light. Coordinate with Spokane Transit Authority's vanpool coordinator to increase utilization of vanpools between Spokane and Airway Heights and locations in south Pend Oreille and Stevens Counties, as well as the Kalispel and Spokane Indian Reservations. Carpooling is the best option for most commuters; a marketing program for should be implemented. Transportation services from the Kalispel and Spokane Indian Reservations to Tribal Trust Lands in Airway Heights and Chewelah. Access to the Gold Line intercity bus service. Maintain current services in and around the Spokane and Kalispel Indian Reservations. TRANSPORTATION FOR MEDICAL/DENTAL CARE Current services, primarily based on the use of volunteer drivers and dial-a-ride services, meet many of the current needs of the region in getting people to medical offices and facilities. For community residents receiving state Medicaid, access to service is available through the Medicaid Transportation Broker (Special Mobility Services). Resources for non-medicaid-eligible residents are stretched thin. Any increase in this need will require more volunteer drivers and wheelchair-accessible vehicles to maintain the current level of service. While the need for medical transportation is clear particularly for services at medical hubs such as Spokane, Colville, Chewelah, Republic, Wellpinit, the Kalispel Tribe Wellness Center, and Newport the need frequency fluctuates greatly and the geographic service area is too broad to support a fixed-route system, such as the Gold Line intercity bus service. Moreover, the Gold Line service is not coordinated with a demand-based feeder service. Another issue with using the intercity service involves the ability of riders with various and often debilitating medical problems to successfully navigate an intermodal transportation system. While many people seeking medical services in Spokane will be able to use the Gold Line, there will be many people who will either need other forms of transportation or some form of assistance en route. Page VIII-7

9 Current Services Providing Medical/Dental Transportation Services A combination of volunteer driver and dial-a-ride bus services provided by Catholic Charities/Volunteer Chore and Rural Resources Community Action meet most of the non-medicaid medical transportation needs in the tri-county area. The Gold Line intercity bus services provides access to designated stops between Kettle Falls and Spokane, where passengers can transfer to other means of transportation to access medical providers. A Pend Oreille County option provided by KALTRAN is available Monday through Thursday from Ione to Newport and the Walmart on Division in Spokane via the Kalispel Tribe Wellness Center several times per day. A Pend Oreille County option is provided by Rural Resources Community Action from Metaline Falls south to Newport on Fridays for access to Newport services or to catch the SMS bus into Spokane and return in the afternoon. The Moccasin Express provides bus service on the Spokane Reservation. SMS brokers Medicaid transportation services in the tri-county area. SMS provides access to Spokane medical/dental providers via its intercity bus service out of Newport in Pend Oreille County. A Colville Confederated Tribe contracts service with the Okanagan County Transportation and Nutrition for twice daily service between Omak, Nespelem, and Coulee Dam via People to People service from Coulee Dam to Davenport connecting with SMS for service into Spokane. Unmet Needs in Medical/Dental Transportation Transportation for people discharged from hospitals and nursing facilities outside of normal transportation service operating hours and outside of diala-ride locations. Regularly scheduled service between Metaline Falls and Ione. Expansion of service times and routes for all current services. Active coordination of services between providers to avoid double-booking scenarios, to promote coordination agreements, and provide referrals of passengers to other appropriate service providers. Easier access to transportation services for the client, such as web or services, as well as phone or fax. Educating medical staff and passengers about available transportation services and promoting coordination of appointments with current transportation service schedules. Page VIII-8

10 A cabulance option for those people who must be transported in a reclined position. A coordinated means to provide transportation for people using regularly recurring medical services, such as dialysis, placing both non-medicaid and Medicaid clients on the same vehicle to share resources. Provision of daily transportation for people accessing intensive, short-term medical treatments (such as chemotherapy and barium treatments). Connection services between Gold Line and medical providers. Coordination of efforts to support private for-profit transportation options in providing for the needs of people requiring medical transportation and having the capability of paying for those services. Transportation to/from and between the various tribal health centers at the Kalispel Wellness Center, Wellpinit, Inchelium, and Nespele m. Recommended Transportation Alternatives for Medical/Dental Needs Coordination Aternatives Tri-county providers should cooperate to improve communication in planning and delivering transportation services as well as coordinating services with medical and dental providers. Coordination with the STA to access passenger support services. Development of a marketing plan among providers to decrease costs and provide a common platform with which customers can become familiar. Service Alternatives Preserve/restore current services in Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille Counties. Expand current hours of service and service areas within the tri-county area. Maintain current services in and around the Spokane and Kalispel Indian Reservations. Intertribal transportation. Page VIII-9

11 TRANSPORTATION FOR SOCIAL AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES Transportation is needed to access vital social and government services to maintain both social and personal well-being. This includes access to Social Security Administration offices, Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS), food stamp and energy assistance programs, local food banks, WorkSource appointments, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Indian Health Service (IHS), and tribal services. Current Transportation Provided to Social and Government Services A Stevens County option is provided by Gold Line intercity bus service operating twice a day, seven days a week, between Kettle Falls and Spokane, with stops at STA terminals. A Pend Oreille County option is provided by KALTRAN available Monday through Thursday from Ione to Newport and the Walmart on Division in Spokane via the Kalispel Tribe Wellness Center several times per day. A Pend Oreille County north/south transportation option is provided by Rural Resources Community Action from anywhere in Pend Oreille County (including Metaline Falls) to Newport. It is available every Friday to connect with the SMS-supplied bus from Newport into Spokane. A Pend Oreille County deviated fixed-route bus service operates Monday through Thursday between the Kalispel Tribe Wellness Center and Newport provided by Rural Resources Community Action with connections to KALTRAN and SMS bus services into Spokane from Newport. Stevens County commuter bus and tri-county dial-a-ride services operated by Rural Resources Community Action provide services on a scheduled basis, with outlying areas having the opportunity to access services twice per month. Pend Oreille County trips are available from Metaline Falls south to Newport on Fridays for access to Newport services or to catch the SMS bus into Spokane and return in the afternoon. Catholic Charities/Volunteer Chore and Rural Resources Community Action provide service throughout the tri-county region using volunteer drivers. The number of volunteer drivers is limited which, in turn, limits access to services. The Moccasin Express provides transportation services for people on the Spokane Indian Reservation to access services in Wellpinit. SMS Newport to Spokane service connects with STA, the Spokane airport, and Greyhound. Page VIII-10 Tri-County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan, Final Report

12 A Colville Confederated Tribe senior service in Inchelium and Keller provides access to meal sites and other services in and around the Reservation. to Access Social and Government Services More access for people in outlying areas to social and government services. Connection services to the Gold Line intercity bus service. Expansion of service times and routes for all current services. Provision of services along the Highway 20 corridor between Republic and Metaline Falls. Regularly scheduled service between Metaline Falls and Ione. Easier access to transportation services for the client, such as web or services, as well as phone or fax. Coordination of transportation services with government and social service agencies. Coordination of efforts to support private for-profit transportation options for people requiring access to social and government services. Recommended Transportation Alternatives for Social and Government Services Coordination Alternatives Tri-county providers should cooperate to improve communication in planning and delivering transportation services as well as coordinating services with social and government service providers. A marketing plan should be developed among providers to decrease costs and provide a common platform with which customers can become familiar. Service Alternatives Preserve/restore current services in Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille Counties. Expand current service hours and service areas within the tri-county area. Maintain current services in and around the Spokane and Kalispel Indian Reservations. Tri-County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan, Final Report Page VIII-11

13 TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR SHOPPING AND OTHER PURPOSES As seen in an analysis of household income in relation to household size from the 2006 Transportation Survey responses, single-member households are more likely to fall into the categories of low, very low, and 30 percent of median income. This demographic may be the single most challenging to serve under this category of transportation. Limited household income, coupled with a lack of support in the household by other members, creates a situation that often leads to varying degrees of transportation dependence. The importance of access to groceries and household sundries, haircuts, post office boxes, and banking services should not be underestimated. The importance to local economies of getting these people into town to do their shopping is a reason to help find solutions for these people. Elderly couples living in outlying areas also tend to require transportation options to support their lifestyles and avoid having to sell their property to move to an assistance facility. Current Transportation Services Providing Access to Shopping and Other Purposes A Stevens County option is provided by the Gold Line intercity bus service operating twice a day, seven days a week, between Kettle Falls and Spokane, with stops at STA terminals. A Pend Oreille County option is provided by KALTRAN available Monday through Thursday from Ione to Newport and the Walmart on Division in Spokane via the Kalispel Tribe Wellness Center several times per day. A Pend Oreille County transportation option is provided by Rural Resources Community Action available every Friday to connect with the SMS-supplied bus from Newport into Spokane. A Pend Oreille County deviated fixed-route bus service operates Monday through Thursday between the Kalispel Tribe Wellness Center and Newport provided by Rural Resources Community Action with connections to KAL- TRAN and SMS bus services into Spokane from Newport. Stevens County Commuter bus and tri-county dial-a-ride operated by Rural Resources Community Action provides services on a scheduled basis. Limited services are provided throughout the tri-county region by Catholic Charities/Volunteer Chore volunteer drivers. The Moccasin Express provides transportation services for people on the Spokane Reservation to access services in Wellpinit. Page VIII-12 Tri-County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan, Final Report

14 KALTRAN provides transportation services for people on the Kalispel Indian Reservation to access various services. Shopping trips are provided by Rural Resources Community Action into Chewelah, Colville, and Kettle Falls from outlying areas of Ferry, Stevens, and northern Pend Oreille Counties twice per month. A Pend Oreille County service is provided by Rural Resources Community Action from Metaline Falls south to Newport on Fridays for access to Newport services or to catch the SMS bus into Spokane and return in the afternoon. SMS Newport-to-Spokane service connects with STA, the Spokane airport, and Greyhound. Unmet Needs in Providing Transportation for Shopping and Other Purposes Transportation-dependent people in the tri-county area need the flexibility to shop for groceries and household sundries on any day, not just scheduled days of service. More frequent access is needed to mail, banks, and retail services, such as barbers and hair stylists. Coordination and communication is needed among providers to use volunteer vehicles as efficiently as possible. Expansion of service times and routes for all current services is needed. Services should be marketed in cooperation with local businesses. Easier access to transportation services for the client, such as web or services, as well as phone or fax is needed. Coordination of efforts is needed to support private for-profit transportation options for people requiring access to retail, banking, or postal services who can pay for the service. Recommended Transportation Alternatives for Shopping and Other Purposes Coordination Alternatives Tri-county providers should cooperate to improve communication in planning and delivering transportation services as well as coordinating services for special events with retailers and promoters. A marketing plan should be developed among providers to decrease costs and provide a common platform with which customers can become familiar. Tri-County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan, Final Report Page VIII-13

15 Service Alternatives Preserve/restore current services in Ferry, Stevens, and Pend Oreille Counties. Expand current hours of service and service areas within the tri-county area. Maintain current services in and around the Spokane and Kalispel Indian Reservations. Provide connection services to the Gold Line intercity bus service. Promote private for-profit alternatives. Page VIII-14 Tri-County Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan, Final Report